Clay-disintegrating machine for sluice-box dredges



W. TELF'ORD AND R. J. McLEAN. CLAY 'DISINTEGRATIN'G MACHINE ron 'SLUIC'E .BOX ansoess.

. APPLICATION mwocns, 1920.

Patented May 3,;1921.--

2 shears-SHEET 1 ford I nveni'om' William T Z M Jmimn- W. TELFORD AND 'R. 1. McLEAN. CLAY DISINTEGRATING MACHINE FOR SLUICE sqfx onspees.

APPLICATION min oc'r. 6, i920.

9 L 5 w a M ,1. W M w .Hfiih .u .l.

2 l- .I n D UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM TELFORD AND ROBERT J. MGLEAN,

,OF PABACALE, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.

CLAY-DISINTEGRATING MACHINE FOR SLUICE-BOX DREDGES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 3,1921.

Application filed October 6, 1920. Serial No. 415,111.

the Philippine Islands, have. invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Clay-Disintegrating Machine for Sluice- Box Dredges and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to improvements in gold saving devices to be used on a dredge or other mining class of sluice-box where clay which steals gold prevails.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved device of this character which involves a clay disintegrating device placed in the sluice-box and partaking of a circular movement in' which the beaters o-r breakers are prevented from swinging outwardly due to centrifugal force, but may yield quired when rocks or other hard substances ar encountered.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more'particularly pointed out in theclaims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation with parts shown in section of an improved clay disintegrating device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the beater disk;

Fig. 3 is a central sectional view taken on the line 3,8 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an edge view of one of the link beaters;

. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same; and

Fig. 6 is a 'cross sectional view taken on the line 66 in Fig. 5.. v Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates generally a framework employed in connection with sluice-boxes, and 2 and 8 represent the side walls forming the sluice way indicated at 4.

Cross beams 5 and 6 form parts of the frame and support bearings which a vertical shaft 9 is journaled. bevel gear wheel 10 is fixed to the upper end of the shaft 9 and is disposed in mesh to journal the drive shaft 12.

in the direction of movement as rewith a similar bevel pinion 11. on a drive shaft 12 which recelves rotation from a suitable source of power. One or more appropriate bearings 13 are provided in which A coupling piece 14 having a mounted on the lower end of the shaft 9 and turns therewith. Bolts 16 pass through the flange 15 and through the'beater disk17 which is preferably made from hard wood flange 15 is and is reinforced. by a pair of outer rings x 18 and'19 and by inner rings 20 and 21, as more particularly seen in Figs. 2 and 3.

Beaters are secured to the under face of the disk 17 and are preferably composed of links 22 set with their connecting pins 23 extending in a radial direction, whereby to prevent the link beaters from swinging outwardly due to the centrifugal force developed by the rotation of the disk 17, and at the same time permitting of the yielding of th boaters in the direction in which the circular movement is taking place.

Heads 24 are bolted or otherwise secured to the under face of the disk 17 in order to support the link beaters. These beaters are preferably made of cast manganese and projecting in ofl'set relation to the corners Y of adjacent disks so as to provide a substantially star-likecutting device looked at from the side as appears in Fig. 4. Spacters- 26.

In operation the drive shaft 12, through the pinion 11 andgear wheel 10, imparts rotation to the shaft 9 which'carries with it I the disk 17. In this way the heaters are caused to rotate about in the sluice box and to come in contact with the clay and other matter passing therethrough.

As befor described the cutters and chain links will be permitted to yield in the direction in which the circular movement is taking place in order to prevent injury to these members by rocks or other hard substances, but such links are prevented from being ing lugs 27 are provided between the cutremoved from a position adjacent the bot tom of the sluice and to be thrown against the side walls 2 and 3.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the herein described apparatus Without departing from the spirit of the invention, provided such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a disintegrating machine, the combination of rotary supporting means, and cutting members extending downwardly from the supporting means and composed of a plurality of chain links having their pivots arranged radially to permit swinging of the members in the direction of their movement but acting to prevent their swinging outwardly by centrifugal force, substan tially as described.

2. In a disintegrating machine, rotary supporting means, disintegrating members extending downwardly from the supporting means near its outer edge, said members composed of a plurality of links having their pivots extending in a substantially radial direction, and cutting members carried by the lowermost link, substantially as described. 1

3. In a disintegrating machine, rotary supporting means, disintegrating members depending from said supporting means and mounted in spaced relation about the same near its outer edge, said members composed of interconnected links, and spaced apart cutting disks carried by the lowermost link, substantially as described, I

4. In a disintegratingmachine, rotary supporting means, disintegrating members extending downwardly from the supporting means, said members being disposed in spaced and circular relation about the outer portion of the supporting means, said members composed of a plurality of chain links having their pivot points disposed radially, and a plurality of rectangular cutting disks carried by the lower end of said members, substantially as described;

5. In a disintegrating machine, the combination of container for the material a head rotating thereabove, disintegrating members extending downwardly from said head and composed of a plurality of chain links havingtheir pivot points directed radially to the direction of their movement, and rectangular cutting disks carried by the lower ends of said members and having their corners or points disposed in offset relation, substantially as described.-

6. In a disintegrating machine, a rotating disk, reinforcements for the upper andlower edges of the disk, means for imparting rotation to said disk, flexible disintegrating members extending downwardly from the disk near its outer end and in spaced relation, substantially as described.

7. In a disintegrating machine, the combination of a disk, a circular shaft carrying said disk and adapted to rotate the disk in a substantially horizontal plane, gear means for driving the shaft, means for reinforcing the disk, and depending chain members on said disk having their pivot points directed radially and adapted to yield in a circumferential direction, and spaced apart rectangular cutting, disks carried by the lower ends of said members with their points relatively ofl'set and arranged in gangssubstantially as described. H

In. testimony whereof, we have hereunto afiixed our signatures, in the presence of two witnesses. u i I 7 WM. TELFORll- R. J MOLEAN.

Witnesses: FELIPE MAXASIGAN,

C. S. WILLEY. 

